Elder Stephen Crisp returned home from a two year mission in the Ecuador Guayaquil North Mission on November 17th, 2015.

Monday, December 8, 2014

December 8th, 2014

I cant believe I already passed the one year point this last week, Its been an awesome year and Im super excited for this next one. I was reflecting on what Ive learned this last year, what Ive developed, and whatnot. One that was on my mind was goal setting, besides just the numbers the personal goals to improve. I have learned the importance of being eager to set goals and complete them. And I was studying a conference talk from the Liahona from Quentin l Cook, Choose Wisely, about setting the goals that are the best for us. Choosing what is gonna make us a better person. He explains how a not bad decision isnt equal to a not harmful decision, to really step and look where were going. And theres not any excuse we can make for not getting there, we cant self justify and make excuses to ourselves for not fulfulling what we want to be. Its a super good talk, everyone should read it, Im definitely gonna keep trying to apply that while im here cause its true what everyone says time is really short. I love what Iv learned so far, I love to read and study the scriptures now, I have a testimony of this church and of Jesus Christ that I could never have been able to gain outside of here.

Elder Juan Uceda from the 70, the area president, came to our zone conference this last week, and man it was super good. I always underestimated seventies, but he is super powerful and really is a true witness of Christ, he has one of the most calmest but impactful voices Ive heard. He talked to us about. He says the repentance is a principle of perfection- it is sweet he says. That there is no exalted being that is disobedient, if thats what we want, to be exalted, we need to learn to be exactly obendient, thats not just a principle of the mission but life. President Riggins shared about how DC4 was not revealed about mission service, but service in general. So in any form of service we are in, in the church, or even family relationships, we need to be 100% committed....serve with all our heart might mind and strength, eye single to the glory of God. Like in the lamb sacrifices in moses times, if they didnt burn every thing it was worthless to kill the animal. Ha so we need to always burn, sacrifice ourselves completely to the lord, or others when we are in service. Elder Uceda shared a lot with us it was a bomb conference and I know without a doubt that he is called of God.

To close another scripture Elder Uceda shared...Nephi 14 14 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed withrighteousness and with the power of God in great glory.

We as members in these days can be armed with that power and glory and righteousness.

Alma 29:9

"I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy."